The 2nd EU-Japan Digital Foundations Network Symposium Held

The second EU-Japan Digital Foundations Network Symposium was held in Brussels, Belgium, on June 25 and 26, 2026, with several faculty members from University of Tsukuba, including President NAGATA Kyosuke, in attendance.

The EU-Japan Digital Foundations Network is a platform jointly established by the University of Tsukuba and Université Grenoble Alpes. It aims to promote cutting-edge research and strengthen human resource development by fostering collaboration among institutions in Japan and the European Union to address challenges in digital foundation technologies, including artificial intelligence, next-generation semiconductors, and quantum technology.

Following the kickoff symposium held in 2025, this second symposium brought together more than 60 participants from network member institutions and invited organizations in Japan and Europe, including leading researchers, industry representatives, and government officials in the field of digital science and technology. During the symposium, lively discussions were held on the future direction of EU-Japan collaboration through parallel sessions organized under the themes of "Computation," "AI," and "Sustainability."

On the final day, a press release and a white paper summarizing the discussions of the symposium were presented. Concrete steps toward future collaboration were also confirmed, including joint applications for the European Union's research funding framework, Horizon Europe. Furthermore, participants agreed to continue consultations among network member institutions with the aim of holding the third symposium in Japan in 2027, and the symposium concluded successfully.